Founded in Stockholm in 2011, acquired by MGM Resorts International in 2022, and licensed in more jurisdictions than almost any operator covered on this site.
It is also the most heavily fined. Those two facts belong together, and the licence list is usually quoted without the second.
The regulatory record
Fined by three regulators, for player protection
Operator marketing presents the licences as proof that they “ensure strict oversight and compliance with player protection standards”, making this “one of the most trustworthy international casino brands available”.
United Kingdom, 2022 — £600,000. Anti-money-laundering and responsible gambling failings across a year of customer activity, with automatic review triggers set too high to work. An independent audit was required within twelve months.
Netherlands — €500,000. Player protection breaches. The regulator requested customer files after identifying warning signs and reported shortcomings in every case it reviewed.
Sweden. A penalty of roughly $850,000 for relying too heavily on automated messages rather than intervening earlier with players who were overspending. A Swedish court later overturned it.
The company facts, checked
The company facts, and one question we could not settle
| Item | Commonly stated | Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 | 2011, in Stockholm, by two Swedish founders |
| Game count | “1,500+” almost everywhere, “2,500” occasionally | 2,500+ from more than 60 studios. The rarer figure is the accurate one. |
| Ownership | MGM group since 2022 | Correct. Acquired by MGM Resorts International in 2022 for around US$607 million, now run as a subsidiary from Stockholm and Malta. |
| Licences | MGA, UKGC, Sweden | Correct and incomplete. Also Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands and Ontario. The UK licence sits on account 39198 and can be checked publicly. |
| Live providers | Evolution, Pragmatic Play Live | Correct, and a genuine strength. Two live studios is more than most casinos carry. |
| Accepts NZ players and NZD | “Yes” | We could not confirm this independently. See below. |
How to read the listings
Written for several markets, localised for none
Listings for this casino are built from a shared template. The headings get tidied before publication; the anchor identifiers underneath them do not, and those are generated from whatever the heading said when the page was first saved.
Displayed as “FAQs” — identifier: seo-friendly-faq
Where the figures come from
What it genuinely does well
Worth stating clearly, because the good parts are real and usually buried under adjectives.
The mobile product is the best in the category. The mobile-first origin is not marketing — the company built for phones before the rest of the industry did, and the awards followed. If you play primarily on a phone, this is a serious point of difference.
Two live studios is unusual. Most casinos carry one. Evolution plus Pragmatic Play Live means the full game-show range alongside conventional tables.
Around 2,500 games from more than 60 studios is a genuinely large library, not a padded count.
The responsible gambling framework is independently approved by the same testing agency that audits the games. That is rare, and it is more meaningful than a list of licences.
Publicly accountable ownership. As an MGM subsidiary with licences in seven jurisdictions, this operator can be found, complained about, and fined. Most casinos covered on this site cannot.
What that ownership does not do for you
MGM ownership and seven licences make this a substantial, accountable business. None of that regulation reaches New Zealand.
The UK, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Italian and Ontario regulators act for their own residents. A New Zealander cannot use their complaints procedures, is not covered by their deposit protections, and has no standing under their self-exclusion schemes.
No New Zealand authority licenses this operator today. That changes from 2027, and whether this brand appears on the register is not yet known.
Where New Zealand’s rules are going
Licences are being allocated by competitive auction running July to October 2026, with a reported fifteen available. From 1 December 2026, operators that have not applied must stop serving New Zealanders. Licensed operators are expected from early 2027, with a public Department of Internal Affairs register.
An operator already licensed in seven jurisdictions is better placed than most to apply. That is speculation, not information — but if this brand does obtain a New Zealand licence, the protections would then apply here properly, which they do not now.
If you hold a balance with any offshore operator, withdraw it well before December. Our New Zealand gambling laws guide sets out the timeline.
Before you register
Confirm the casino accepts New Zealand players and New Zealand dollars. Attempt registration and check the cashier’s currency list. Do not rely on this or any other review.
Complete verification at registration. Independent databases track well over a hundred complaints against the brand, with verification and withdrawal delays the recurring theme. Doing it on day one removes that risk.
Set deposit limits before you play, not after. The tools are there and they are independently approved.
Read the bonus terms. “Tiered welcome bonuses” and “no wager free spins” are described everywhere without a single wagering figure, maximum bet or cashout cap attached.
Our casino deposit methods page covers payment routes from New Zealand.
Support
Free, confidential help is available in New Zealand: the Gambling Helpline on 0800 654 655 or free text 8006, 24 hours a day, and PGF Services on 0800 664 262.
Our self-exclusion guide covers bank gambling blocks and device blocking software — both of which work regardless of what any operator offers.
This casino’s owner is reported to have left the New Zealand market
This page is published for information. It is not financial, legal or gambling advice, and nothing on it is a recommendation to gamble or an endorsement of any operator.
You must be 18 or older to gamble online in New Zealand.
No link on this page goes to an operator’s cashier, and none will. Reach any casino by typing the address yourself.
Player accounts described here are individual reports rather than findings. Licensing, ownership, bonus terms, withdrawal limits and country availability all change, sometimes within weeks, and this page covers a period in which the New Zealand market is being restructured. Confirm the current position in the operator’s own terms and on the regulator’s own register before acting on anything here.
Free, confidential help is available in New Zealand from the Gambling Helpline on 0800 654 655, or by free text to 8006, 24 hours a day.
Reference sources
Regulator records, industry reporting, licence registers, legislation and New Zealand support services. No link below goes to an operator’s cashier.
- LeoVegas fined over AML and responsible gaming violations in the UK — Casino.org
- Dutch regulator fines LeoVegas €500,000 over player protection breaches — Gambling News
- Swedish court overturns the regulator’s decision to fine LeoVegas — Gambling News
- Swedish court reverses LeoVegas licence limitation — CasinoBeats, with detail on the 2018 UK penalty
- Public register of licensees — UK Gambling Commission, where account 39198 can be verified
- Licence verification — Malta Gaming Authority
- eCOGRA — testing agency and dispute resolution provider
- Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 — New Zealand Legislation
- Information for online casino customers — Department of Internal Affairs
- Gambling Helpline Aotearoa New Zealand — free, confidential support, 24 hours a day
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns LeoVegas?
MGM Resorts International, which acquired it in 2022 for around US$607 million. It runs as a subsidiary from Stockholm and Malta.
When was it founded?
2011 in Stockholm, though 2012 is widely repeated.
Has it been fined by regulators?
Yes, repeatedly. £60,000 in the UK in 2018 for misleading advertising and self-exclusion handling; £600,000 in the UK in 2022 for anti-money-laundering and responsible gambling failings; €500,000 in the Netherlands for player protection breaches. A Swedish penalty of roughly $850,000 was later overturned by a court.
Does that mean it is unsafe?
It means regulators found problems and acted. A casino with no meaningful licence would face no equivalent scrutiny. But it does contradict describing the licences as proof that player protection standards are met.
Do those protections apply to me in New Zealand?
No. Those regulators act for their own residents. No New Zealand authority licenses this operator today.
Does it accept New Zealand players?
We could not confirm this independently. Its stated core markets are the UK and Nordics, and its licences are concentrated in regulated European jurisdictions and Ontario. Attempt registration and check the cashier before planning around it.
How many games are there?
Around 2,500 from more than 60 studios. “1,500+” is the figure most often repeated, and it is the wrong one.
Where can I get help if gambling is causing problems?
The Gambling Helpline is free and available 24 hours a day on 0800 654 655, or by free text to 8006. PGF Services offers free counselling on 0800 664 262.
